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Retired Scientist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

ENGINEER/SCIENTIST

Dahlgren, VA · On-site +1

$102.42K - $158.32K/yr

You will serve as an Engineer or Scientist within the Software Engineering and Development Division ... Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days ...

ENGINEER/SCIENTIST

Dahlgren, VA · On-site +1

$46.61K - $158.32K/yr

Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days ... As a professional engineer or scientist performing design, development, testing, and integration of ...

ENGINEER/SCIENTIST

Dahlgren, VA · On-site +1

$69.92K - $156.76K/yr

Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days ... Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: as a professional engineer or scientist ...

ENGINEER/SCIENTIST

Dahlgren, VA · On-site +1

$70.62K - $158.32K/yr

Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days ... A degree in computer science or degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics ...

ENGINEER/SCIENTIST

Dahlgren, VA · On-site +1

$101.40K - $156.76K/yr

You will serve as an Engineer or Scientist within the Systems of Systems Engineering Branch ... Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days ...

ENGINEER/SCIENTIST

Dahlgren, VA · On-site +1

$101.40K - $156.76K/yr

Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days ... Computer Engineering Series, 0854 Computer Science Series, 1550 Experience refers to paid and ...

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Showing results 1-20

Retired Scientist information

See salary details

$50.5K

$111.3K

$137.5K

How much do retired scientist jobs pay per year?

As of May 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for retired scientist in the United States is $111,343.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $94,500.00 and $137,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What key skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a Scientist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Scientist, you need a solid educational background in a relevant scientific field, strong analytical skills, and experience conducting research. Familiarity with laboratory equipment, data analysis software, and sometimes certifications such as Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) are commonly required. Critical thinking, curiosity, and effective communication are essential soft skills that distinguish top scientists. These abilities are vital for producing reliable research, collaborating with peers, and advancing scientific knowledge.

What types of consulting or mentorship opportunities are available for retired scientists who wish to stay active in their field?

Retired scientists often find rewarding opportunities to contribute their expertise through consulting for research projects, serving on advisory boards, or mentoring early-career professionals and students. Many universities, non-profit organizations, and private companies value the depth of experience retired scientists bring, often engaging them in part-time or project-based roles. These activities not only allow retired professionals to stay updated with advances in their discipline, but also provide a flexible way to remain professionally active without the demands of full-time work.

What does it mean to be a retired scientist?

A retired scientist is someone who has completed a career in scientific research, teaching, or applied science and has now officially left the workforce, often after reaching a certain age or fulfilling required years of service. While retired, many scientists continue to contribute to their field through consulting, mentoring, volunteering, or writing. Retirement gives scientists the opportunity to focus on personal interests, pursue hobbies, or stay intellectually engaged without the demands of a full-time job. Some also remain active in professional organizations or participate in public outreach to share their expertise.

What is the difference between Retired Scientist vs Research Scientist?

AspectRetired ScientistResearch Scientist
CredentialsTypically holds advanced degrees (PhD or equivalent)Usually requires a PhD or master's degree in a relevant field
Work EnvironmentOften no active work; may engage in consulting or mentoringActive research in labs, universities, or industry
Employer & Industry UsageFormer employees, consultants, or part-time rolesFull-time employment in research institutions or companies
Search & Comparison IntentPeople interested in retired professionals or consulting optionsIndividuals seeking active research roles or career info

In summary, a Retired Scientist is someone who has concluded their active research career, often engaging in consulting or mentoring, while a Research Scientist is actively involved in conducting research within labs or industry settings. The main difference lies in their current work status and engagement level in research activities.

More about Retired Scientist jobs
What cities are hiring for Retired Scientist jobs? Cities with the most Retired Scientist job openings:
What states have the most Retired Scientist jobs? States with the most job openings for Retired Scientist jobs include:
Infographic showing various Retired Scientist job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $111,343 per year, or $53.5 per hour.
DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST/ENGINEER FOR NAVAL DATA SCIENCES

DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST/ENGINEER FOR NAVAL DATA SCIENCES

Naval Sea Systems Command

King George, VA

Full-time

Posted 17 days ago


Job description

Duties
  • You will provide vision and long-term stewardship of data sciences and analytical engineering capabilities to include development of data governance and architecture strategies.
  • You will provide technical leadership within NAVSEA across the full range of data sciences functions to include artificial intelligence, machine learning, reinforcement learning, and big data analytics.
  • You will influence critical science and technology and research and development to ensure that the Naval Enterprise is poised to support needs regarding big data analytics and artificial intelligence in defense of the nation.
  • You will guide and influence the direction of data science research efforts at the national, DoW, and DoN levels.
  • You will serve on executive steering groups and advisory boards to ensure that data sciences applications are brought to bear for Navy programs of record and future programs.
  • You will serve as an expert consultant to NSWCDD and Navy as well as a member of the defense community to include the other services, industry, academia, and international partners.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
  • Must be a US Citizen.
  • Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
  • Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
  • New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov
  • Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • You will be required to complete ethics orientation within three months of appointment and submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450, within 30 days of appointment.
  • You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
  • This is a Cyberspace Workforce position, work role code 801, proficiency level Basic the incumbent is required to obtain and maintain qualifications in DoDM 8140.03 Cyber Workforce Qualification and Department of Navy policies.
  • This position is covered under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA). Certification in the Acquisition Functional Area and category assigned to the position is required within established category timeframes
  • Successful completion of a pre-employment drug test (including marijuana) is required. A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if you fail to report to the drug test appointment or fail the test. You will be subject to random testing.
  • This position may require travel from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time.
Qualifications
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, your resume must show that you possess the Technical Qualifications (TQ) related to this position - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit will be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.
TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications:
TQ1. Demonstrated broad knowledge and competence in the specialized area of large-scale, complex data science systems, data science engineering concepts including data structures, and computational frameworks to resolve complex real-world problems.
TQ2. Demonstrated experience formulating strategic plans and leading teams designing, developing and deploying state of the art advanced data science, computer science, supervised and unsupervised learning and modeling & simulation products.
Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PROF
AND
All Professional Engineering series, 0801
Operation Research Series, 1515
Mathematics Series, 1520
Computer Science Series, 1550
Data Science Series, 1560
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
Education
Applicants must meet the following positive education qualifications requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Standards Manual:
For 0801 Professional Engineering Series:
A. Degree: Engineering. Successful completion of a bachelor's or higher engineering degree from an accredited college or university. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET ; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.
-or-
B. Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:
(I) Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions; or
(II) Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico; or
(III) Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A; or
(IV) Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.)
For 1515-Operations Research Series: A degree in operation mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus.
For 1520-Mathematics Series: A degree in mathematics; or the equivalent of a major that included at least 24 semester hours in mathematics or A combination of education and experience -- courses equivalent to a major in mathematics (including at least 24 semester hours in mathematics), as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
For 1550-Computer Science Series: A degree in computer science or bachelor's degree with 30 semester hours in a combination of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. At least 15 of the 30 semester hours must have included any combination of statistics and mathematics that included differential and integral calculus. All academic degrees and course work must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions.
For 1560 -Data Science Series: A Degree: Mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science or field directly related to the position. The degree must be in a major field of study (at least at the baccalaureate level) that is appropriate for the position; or combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major field of study (30 semester hours) as shown in paragraph A above, plus additional education or appropriate experience
An advanced degree of Master's or Ph.D. in one of the educational fields listed above is highly desirable.
Additional information
Senior Scientific Technical Manager (SSTM) positions are positions which exceed the ND-05 (GS-15 equivalent). SSTMs provide a continuity of technical leadership and oversight that is needed to ensure long term stewardship of an organization's technical capabilities. Typically, applicants for SSTM positions are expected to have a graduate degree, significant research or development experience, and a national or international reputation in his/her field and are recognized throughout the applicable community as a renowned expert. SSTM positions are in the competitive service.
This announcement is being used to recruit qualified individuals, under the STRL Direct Hire Authority, authorized by Section 1108 of the NDAA for FY 2009 for qualified candidates possessing an advanced degree to scientific and engineering positions, and Federal Register Notice (FRN), Volume 79 Number 144, dated 28 July 2014. An advanced degree is a Master's or higher degree from an accredited college or university in a field of scientific or engineering study directly related to the duties of the position to be filled.
This announcement is also being used to recruit qualified individuals under the STRL Direct Hire Authority, authorized by Section 1107 of the NDAA for FY 2014 for qualified candidates who possess a Bachelors' degree to scientific and engineering positions.
The Rule of Three, Veteran's Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply to the Direct Hire process.
This position is not covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.
Additional vacancies may be filled by this announcement.
A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre-employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.
Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at: http://www.secnav.navy.mil/donhr/Documents/CivilianJobs/FedCivAnnuitants.pdf
There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations.Please read and retain these documents:
- Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back,
- FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and
- SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information)
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm
Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx )
Veteran's preference does not apply when selecting individuals under the specific hiring authority addressed in this announcement. However, if you claim veteran's preference, you will be required to subm...